Program Director

About the Role

BAE Systems is seeking a strategic and highly technical leader to serve as Director of Modeling and Simulations in Huntsville, Alabama. This role is responsible for technical direction, operational outcomes, and financial oversight of a high-impact program portfolio with annual P&L responsibility between $10M and $15M. The Director will lead a team of approximately 20 senior engineers to strategically align Modeling and Simulation (M&S) capabilities with broader business unit objectives, driving growth and technical excellence within the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Navy, and International market. The successful candidate will act as a primary technical liaison, interfacing with Senior Vice Presidents and executive leadership to ensure the successful execution of critical programs.

Responsibilities

• Establish and oversee the standards, tools, and governance frameworks required to capture, model, and deliver complex enterprise data. Define the technical roadmap and technology stack, ensuring M&S capabilities are scalable, secure, and aligned with long-term corporate goals.
• Direct the execution of multiple concurrent programs and tasks, managing budgets and resource allocation to ensure profitability and on-time delivery. Accountable for the financial and technical posture of the portfolio, with decisions impacting work processes and organizational outcomes.
• Partner with business leaders to identify and capture new opportunities within the MDA market. Translate complex engineering capabilities into strategic business value, leveraging expertise in Ballistic Missile Defense architectures.
• Lead the development of high-level data models and conceptual sub-architectures. Optimize information flow across the enterprise by reducing redundancy and ensuring accessibility within strict security boundaries.
• Serve as a Subject Matter Expert consultant to top management on long-range planning and act as a prime external spokesperson for the organization. Lead high-level briefings for senior customer representatives and internal stakeholders regarding operational decisions, contractual clarifications, and advanced technical strategies.

Requirements

• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance.
• Master of Science in Engineering (required).
• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), Systems Performance Modeling, and Ballistic Missile Defense Architectures.
• At least 5 years of proven experience in business development, specifically within the defense sector.
• Demonstrated experience scaling technical capabilities from conceptual design through operational deployment.
• Expert-level knowledge of digital engineering implementation, including integration of physics-based modeling with digital twins and simulation pipelines.
• Proven track record of managing multi-disciplinary teams of senior engineers and overseeing significant P&L portfolios.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven track record of managing multi-disciplinary teams of senior engineers and overseeing P&L portfolios of at least $10M.
• Professional certifications such as INCoP (Integrated Product Team Lead), PMP (Project Management Professional), OCMP (OMG Certified Model driven Architecture Professional), or DAU (Defense Acquisition University) Level II or III in Engineering or Program Management.
• 8+ years of experience, with at least 5 years in a formal leadership role managing multi-disciplinary teams of senior engineers.
• Proven experience managing a budget/portfolio of $5M+ with accountability for financial performance, variance analysis, and resource optimization.
• Direct experience navigating the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) landscape, including deep understanding of Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) architecture and technical challenges of SSP, Aviation, or AEGIS programs.
• Documented history of transitioning programs from traditional document-based systems engineering to Digital Engineering (DE) or Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE).
• Experience leading the technical volume of winning proposals (Capture Management) for high-value government contracts.

Skills

• MBSE Toolsets: Expert proficiency in Cameo Systems Modeler, MagicDraw, or Sparx Enterprise Architect.
• Digital Twin Integration: Ability to architect integration of high-fidelity physics-based simulations with system-level behavioral models.
• Data Governance: Expertise in developing enterprise data schemas and ontology standards for interoperability across disparate defense programs.
• Security Architecture: Knowledge of implementing secure data exchange within classified environments (SIPR/JWICS).
• Executive Communication: Ability to translate deep technical complexity into strategic business risks and opportunities for SVPs and Government Executives.
• Strategic Planning: Ability to develop 3-to-5-year technical roadmaps aligned with corporate growth targets.
• Conflict Resolution & Negotiation: Advanced skills in negotiating technical baselines and Statement of Work (SOW) boundaries with government customers to prevent scope creep.
• Mentorship: Proven ability to develop senior engineers into future technical leaders.

Pay

Full-Time Salary Range: $153,377 – $260,743. Individual salaries are determined by factors including business considerations, local market conditions, internal equity, and candidate qualifications such as skills, education, and experience.

Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Health savings accounts.
• 401(k) savings plan.
• Disability coverage and life and accident insurance.
• Employee assistance program and legal plan.
• Discounts on home, auto, and pet insurance.
• Paid time off, paid holidays, and other leave programs including paid parental, military, bereavement, and applicable federal and state sick leave.
• Company recognition program offering monetary or non-monetary awards.
• Other incentives based on position level and job specifics.

About BAE Systems Intelligence & Security

BAE Systems, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of BAE Systems plc, an international defense, aerospace, and security company delivering products and services for air, land, and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions, and customer support services. Intelligence & Security (I&S), based in McLean, Virginia, designs and delivers advanced defense, intelligence, and security solutions that support critical missions. Our work enables the U.S. military and government to recognize, manage, and defeat threats, inspiring us to push ourselves and our technologies to new levels.